The recent murders of Amish schoolchildren in Lancaster County, PA is a disgusting example of evil in action. As this community grieves the loss of five young girls in a senseless murder, the world is watching. A CNN article relays the story of a grieving grandfather standing by the body of his granddaughter in a casket and telling the family, "We must not think evil of this man." I can't help but notice the disbelief and respectful murmurings of the press as they watch the reaction of the Amish. I am in awe myself, especially when reading quotes like the following from this article:
Rita Rhoads is a midwife who was present at the births of two of the girls who were killed. "If you have Jesus in your heart and he has forgiven you, then how can you not forgive other people," Rhoads says.
Wow. In 450 years of Anabaptist history, pacifism and forgiveness are still on display for the world to see—and the world is noticing.
Now for some contrast, consider the freaks over at Westboro Baptist Church (WBC). These are the “God Hates Fags” folks that seem to believe that they will effectively share the good news of the gospel by picketing people and screaming God’s judgment upon all that would dare disagree with the leader of this cult, the “Reverend” Fred Phelps.
The newest outrage being perpetrated by this “We Wish We Were Waco” crowd is the picketing of funerals of fallen US soldiers (the announcements of which listed on their disgusting Web site under the incongruous title “Love Crusades”). They claim that they do this because the soldiers are fighting for a country that tolerates fornication and homosexuality, and therefore their deaths are God’s judgment against our nation. Well, that was the newest outrage, but they really outdid themselves when they announced that they were going to picket the funerals of the innocent young girls that were gunned down in the schoolhouse in PA.
If we are to believe the members of WBC, God caused this to happen in order to punish Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell because of his “blasphemous sins against WBC." What sin did he commit against this church? He denounced their practice of protesting those funerals. Now, if you’re anything like me, your nose is wrinkled up and you’re saying, “Errr?”
(The church called off this particular “Love Crusade” after they used it to blackmail someone for airtime in order to spew their skewed version of Christianity. Radio personality Mike Gallagher relented for the sake of the victims and their families.)
Westboro’s site is a piece of work, full of vitriol targeted not only towards homosexuals, but also anyone that would dare speak out against WBC. (Sorry, I refuse to link to it. If you want to see it, use Google. If you are at work, I would advise against it. You have been warned.) Perhaps this post can get me added to their list.
I agree that the Bible calls homosexuality and fornication sins...as well as greed, idolatry, gossip, etc. But the way to confront sin is not with anger, name-calling, and controversy. WBC seems woefully ignorant of scripture on this one. Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith, the One Who came and lived with and loved the unlovable so that we could then know God, and He confronted sin often…but always with love. Jesus walked in a sinful world, and yet was not tainted by it. He went to men and women that were full of sin, and from them He built His church.
So, I was processing all of this, considering the way Christ is presented by both groups: One group forgiving a vile man for murdering their children and another threatening to picket the funerals of the victims in some misguided attempt denounce homosexuality. (I still don’t understand the reasoning, but I consider that a good thing.) One group is offering the world a picture of Christ that accepts all that turn to him in repentance and humility, and another that presents their agenda in Christ’s name. Both groups seem to have at least an understanding about how Christ offers us new lives, and yet only one group has found a way of expressing that idea without looking like complete nut jobs—aliens in the world, for sure, but only because of the extreme love they are willing to show one so undeserving.
For anyone out there that is looking at Phelps and his angry band of loudmouths as an example of Christianity, I think you should consider the alternative. If you see anything there worth emulating, consider the One that makes it possible.
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